Thamsanqa Hoza South Africa, 18

Project: Hot Nozzle

Basic Human Needs: Environment, Health, Water

While attending school in Cape Town, Thami often had to take cold showers at his boarding house due to local water restrictions. He and his roommate developed Hot Nozzle, a solution to ensure everyone, even in remote places, could have a warm shower. The portable, battery-operated showerhead heats water, saves up to 60% of electricity and decreases water consumption. This is especially important in communities like Cape Town, where drought has restricted households to 87 liters of water per day. Hot Nozzle facilitates hygienic health and helps prevent people in remote areas from spending hours collecting water. In 2016, Hot Nozzle was recognized as one of ten Young Innovators Under 26 at the Innovation Prize for Africa Awards. Eager to inspire others to tackle social entrepreneurship, Thami and his partner created Hot Nozzle Innovate (HN Innovate). The company encourages and supports young people to address social issues through innovation and entrepreneurship. HN Innovate presents at prestigious institutions and conferences, connects aspiring entrepreneurs to mentors in respective fields, and supports them through the process of starting a successful business. HN Innovate’s successful Robotics Science and Technology student program will expand into schools that do not offer STEM education, and, by the end of 2018, Thami predicts Hot Nozzle will be in mass production, and used throughout Africa.